Chase Chase
by NikNoteMadness
Summary: Neji finds himself pursuing a boy who has been invading his dreams but the boy is reluctant. Gaara, who has also been dreaming of Neji finds himself confused as to what the Hyuuga wants with him. Neji is impatient and corners Gaara with a deal of sorts.
1. Soul Ties

Disclaimer: I do not own any Naruto characters.  
>Beta: (None, just Nik)<p>

A/N: I haven't posted a story in FOREVER! Kinda feels good to be back. This story is just a little something I threw together. Probably won't be very long. I'm not sure yet because I have a few other fics I wanna post before the beginning of summer. Yay! Nik is slightly back!

**Chase Chase**

Chapter I  
>Soul Ties<p>

* * *

><p>Gaara woke up with a start. His room was humid and hot like the heater in the house had been left on for longer than it was needed. Sweat rolled down the sides of face as he licked his dry lips. He was fidgety and anxious as he kicked his covers off in the dead of night. He reached down to his feet and quickly pulled off his black ankle socks so he could cool off faster. He was angry. He hardly ever slept and as soon as sleep had come to him, a bad dream woke him up.<p>

Rolling onto his side he slowly slid his arm under his pillow. His heart was racing and his fingers twitched impatiently. He listened to the ceiling fan spinning as flashes of his dreams began flickering in his memory.

There were often times when Gaara would make the long journey to the lighthouse just outside of town. Sure it was a long trip but it was always worth it. The calm water that danced on the rocks was so soothing. It always made Gaara forget all his troubles. Not that he had many troubles to complain about. Of course there were times when life could have been better but everyone Gaara's age could say that about their lives.  
><em>"Best not complain about things that you have no control over."<em> Gaara's friend would always tell him.

Gaara visited that lighthouse all the time but no one in town seemed to know that it existed. So it was definitely a solitary place to sit and not have to think about anything.

That was _his_ spot until….

Someone else seemed to be showing up at Gaara's lighthouse lately, in his dreams anyway. Gaara had no idea who this boy was but he always looked so solemn and interesting enough for Gaara to be slightly curious about whoever he could be.

Gaara's spot on the rocks near the lighthouse always kept him hidden. No one walking around without knowledge of the place would ever be able to spot him. No one, but the curiously strange intruder.

From within his dreams Gaara kept a close eye on the other. He never wanted to speak to him, only wanted to watch him. This particular dream was different, creepy. Gaara found himself standing in the door that led up to the broken light of the lighthouse where a mysterious boy stood in front of him. Gaara had never seen him up close before. He was taller than Gaara had initially thought and his skin was pale in the darkness of the cliffs. He stared at Gaara and smiled.

That was when Gaara felt a warm feeling fall down his sides and back. The boy's smile was inviting and Gaara was fascinated with the way the boy's eyes squinted when he smiled.

"Do you see something I don't?" The other boy asked, looking behind him as if he had been confused. Gaara said nothing and made no movement. The other boy only smiled again as he approached Gaara and slightly stroked his cheek.

"You seem scared." The taller boy whispered, but it was hardly heard against the crashing of water hitting the rocks. Gaara could smell the scent of the boy's hair. It was long and a deep brown. It fell passed his shoulders down to his back. Gaara inhaled sharply at the pleasant smell of pine and coconut. He immediately thought them to be an awkward mixture of scents but he let the thought pass him when the other boy leaned close to him.

"I forget your name." Gaara said looking off. He was unsure of why he said that but it did not matter much. The other boy was still moving closer, like Gaara had said nothing at all.

"You act tough…but," The boy's lips glazed over Gaara's and the redhead felt a sting that confused his entire body. A rush of heat passed over his skin and down into his blood. His palms grew sweaty and his legs shook. It wasn't a kiss, just a small eager touch but Gaara's breathing stuttered as he quickly backed away and looked at the other boy sideways.

"I wonder how you thought that was okay," Gaara fussed, folding his arms like a pouting child. He closed his eyes and stuck his nose up, listening closely to hear the other say something in response. There was none…

The ceiling fan in Gaara's room clicked again and he was brought out of his memory. His heart was still beating quickly even as he Lid there just remembering. For months the brunette had been standing on the cliffs of that lighthouse and not once had he even noticed Gaara, let alone spoke to him. How was it that he had gotten so close? So close as to…

The phone rang and Gaara looked over at his clock. He was going to be late for school but it was too cold outside to walk today. Gaara sat up and looked out the window behind his headboard. He frowned and made a clicking sound with his tongue in annoyance.

_No wonder Temari left the heater on. The first snow is always the worst. School should be canceled._ He thought as he got up and answered his phone.

"What?" He said, the irritation in his voice could b heard clearly.

"School's been canceled. Get dressed. I'm headed out in 20 minutes." That was just like Sasuke, short and to the point. There was never anything more from him and never anything less. Gaara preferred things to be that way. He wasn't the talkative type and he surely didn't appreciate being talked to. His relationship with Sasuke, however, put a strain on him since Sasuke was always accompanied but a rather loud mouthed boy. A year his younger, Naruto was annoying, loud, and always in the wrong place that the wrong time. Gaara was often very irritated when he was around.

Sasuke's unusual attraction to him was the only reason Gaara hadn't buried the blonde in his backyard under the doghouse. Plus, Gaara couldn't complain since Naruto hardly talked directly to him. He hoped there would never come a day when he would have to spend time with Naruto one on one.

"I'm leaving," Gaara said and headed out the front door to his house. No one had been in the living room or in earshot. Gaara didn't care. All Temari had said was to say he was leaving when he would go out. If she wasn't specific enough then he wouldn't look for anyone to tell it to.

Gaara hopped in the front seat and closed the door. Sasuke smirked and put the car in gear.

"Warm?" Sasuke asked as they began to pull off down the icy road. Gaara growled back at the smart comment. Yes, in fact he was warm. He was wearing a black thermal long sleeve and blue jeans. He wore a long red scarf around his neck and wool gloves to hide his freezing fingers. He didn't care one bit if he looked goofy. The snow was nothing to play around with.

"Tell me it's just us today." Gaara decided a smart remark back was a waste of his time. He leaned back in the seat and put his hands behind his head instead.

"Naruto is already at the library waiting." Sasuke heard Gaara shifting uncomfortably in his seat. Out of the corner of Sasuke's eye he could see that Gaara made no kind of expression. He just looked out the window and pretended he had something better to think about.

"Don't want to know why we're going to the library on our day off?" Sasuke asked. Gaara's lip twitched. Naruto's talkative mouth was rubbing off on Sasuke. He knew Gaara did not care where they were going. He should not have asked.

"Won't I find out when we get there? Why is the need to ask? Useless." Gaara groaned. He was having the strangest feeling that Sasuke wanted to talk about it so he humored the boy. With a huff he added, "What _is_ at the library? And before you say something even more useless make sure I care about the answer."

Sasuke remained quiet as they pulled up to the curb next to the library. A lot of students from their high school were already waiting outside in the snow. Gaara was certain there were a few people he had never seen before. His over active imagination led him to believe that this was some kind of secret alliance but he blinked the thought away and opened the car door to step out.

The town's only library was huge. It was used to be a big church that most of the people in town attended but as the years had gone by a lot of people lost faith and the building was bought out by a famous family and turned into a place of refuge for people who loved books.

The stairs were big and stretch around three sides of the building, allowing access to all side except the back. The windows were wide and stained with colored glass from the church before. Bricks had replaced the old dirty colored cement of the walls and a small iron fence gated the top of the stairs leading into the building.

Gaara could clearly see everyone standing around talking amongst themselves. On the far end of the building, off to the left, Gaara caught a glimpse of a guy leaning against the fence atop the stairs. Gaara wasn't accustomed to being curious about anyone but he stared unashamed at the guy in the corner. His head was down and his hair was hanging on one side of his shoulder, hiding his face from sight. He would have looked on a little longer if the group of people hadn't started cheering when the doors to the library were opened.

A petite young woman with pale eyes and fare skin stood in the door. She smiled widely and stepped to the side, letting the people in the big room. Gaara had not really noticed, until then, that Naruto had been running his mouth about some convention being held in the back of the library. Gaara growled at the thought of being dragged into some type of cult.

As the people gathered in the first room, the room where all the books and the check out desk was located, the young woman cleared her throat and began to speak softly.

"I will need all of you to take a packet," She indicated the stack of packets on the desk net to her, "and head into the little theater to the left. Someone will be there to explain the rest of the registration process." She quickly bowed and then disappeared toward the desk where a computer and a phone were sitting.

_Registration?_ Gaara looked over at Sasuke and Naruto who were both looking up at the ceiling pretending like they were clueless. He would have groaned and started to complaint but something recently familiar to him caught his attention. A chill and a series of goose bumps slide down his arms as the smell of pine and coconut passed by him. Gaara looked to his left and saw the last sight of the guy outside strolling into the little theater.

For a short moment Gaara _almost_ wanted to laugh hysterically.

Almost.

His mind was a jumbled up mess lately and he couldn't convince himself that he dreamed about someone he didn't even know. Gaara couldn't be certain but he wanted to find out. He glared at Naruto and Sasuke as he grabbed a packet and headed into the dim room.

Naruto stared in amazement as Gaara walked passed them without a word. He was going to say something when Sasuke just shook his head and grabbed a packet for himself. Naruto just shrugged and followed the two boys. He would make sure to ask Gaara why he didn't blow up later.

"Good morning. It is nice to see you all are here on time. I apologize for the change in plans for filling out the applications but since school was canceled today I figured this was the best day to get to know everyone before I decided who would be working here for the remainder of the year."

Gaara sat down in the back of the theater. He breathed silently and mostly ignoring everything the person was saying. He was more interested in the person himself rather than the fact that he had been tricked into working at the library.

Unaware that he was beginning to sweat and fidget Gaara gulped and sat up in his seat. The voice speaking to the people in the room was memorable and it was sweet as it reached Gaara's ears. He would never forget that voice.

_You act tough….but_

Gaara felt his heart racing at that very moment. It was like a flood in Gaara's mind. His face grew hot and his eyes blurry. He couldn't believe that the guy he had been dreaming about for months was now standing in front of him. Gaara suddenly felt embarrassed and he remembered the soft lips that lightly felt his. The dream was so real yet so unreal.

"Since a lot of us do not know each other we can all go around the room and say a little about ourselves. I will begin." The guy flipped his hair away from his face and peered into the small crowd. He spotted Gaara in the very back and smiled quickly before he looked away.

"This library belonged to my late father. He passed away very recently, I am sad to say, and he left this amazing place to me." He almost sounded a little sarcastic, but Gaara couldn't tell.

"I am the new owner of this library and as such I need help taking care of it. I am going to employ ten staff members to help me maintain this place." He smiled and closed his eyes as he looked up towards the ceiling. "I am Hyuuga Neji," he said, looking directly at the redhead in the back of the room. "It is nice to meet you."

Gaara felt like he was a crazed fan at a concert. He knew Neji couldn't have been speaking directly to him, but it felt like it. He trembled in his seat. All these unfamiliar feelings made him nervous and he found himself dizzy from all the confusion. He mentally pulled himself together and decided that for the time that he had to be here he would just reframe from looking at the Hyuuga, if he could.

* * *

><p>Neji retreated to the balcony of the bell tower that had belonged to the church. He watched as all the students left down the stairs and either walked or drove off. His generous heart had forced him to hire all the people that had showed up for registration. He didn't have the heart to turn anyone down.<p>

Walking down the stairs later that day, around evening, Neji pulled out a key and locked the double doors to the library. Suddenly a man appeared next to him and touched him on the shoulder.

"You look tired nephew." He sounded tired himself. Neji only closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He was exhausted but he was not going to admit anything that made him look like a failure.

"I am not going to sell my father's only legacy to you, uncle. I have nothing left of him. I wish you would let all of this go. You are fighting a battle you cannot win." Neji folded his arms. The older man simply chuckled and patted Neji on the top of his head.

"Dear Neji, a boy like you cannot hope to take care of this place all on his own. A twenty-three year old is not capable of holding down a business like this. You should be more interested in young girls and parties," the man grew serious, "I will not fight you for something you hold near and dear but I will advise you to take another look at the situation." He began to turn around. "You know where to find me if you change your mind." He was gone as quickly as he had come and Neji was left lonely on the stairs of his Father's last days.

* * *

><p>Neji's dreams kept him awake that night into the early hours of the morning. He was laying on his side holding a pillow for comfort as he stared at the light from his fish tank. He sighed a sleepy sigh as he tried to think of something other than the young boy haunting his dreams. Neji was determined not to make true what his dreams had been showing him.<p>

Neji always knew he would inherit the library but he never knew the redhead from the library in his dreams would one day become real. In his dream, Neji always followed the mysterious redhead around the library with curiosity but upon seeing him in the flesh today Neji only feared him.

_I must be going crazy. What would my family say if they knew I was dreaming about an under aged student? A boy!_ Neji threw his pillow at the wall and sat up holding in head in his hands. He would simply have to not dream about him anymore. Then he thought about his last dream with the boy and how he had been eager to touch his face and embrace him.

He felt betrayed by his body. He felt warm and obsessive over the thought. He threw himself on the bed and groaned into the sheets. Here he was trying to prove to his family that he could be a man and now he couldn't stop acting like a child. He felt lost and torn between what he wanted and what he needed to do. He turned and looked across his room toward the window. It would be morning soon.

Neji felt he needed to relax. He took a deep breath and thought about the rest of his day. He had a handful of appointments. He was slowly counting the minutes away when he realized something he hadn't thought of before. If he could convince the redhead not to work in the library then he wouldn't have to see him ever again. All those eerie feelings would go away! The excitement of the thought broke Neji's frustration.

* * *

><p>The snow that had covered the ground yesterday was nothing dirty and icy. Gaara was sitting on the stairs that led up to the second floor of his school. He usually waited there for Sasuke and they would go to first period together. He was sitting motionless as the other students walked passed him chattering.<p>

"Gaara, right?"

The redhead looked up and a flare of shock waved over him. He only turned his eyes to look but he could clearly see Neji standing in front of him with his hands gently in his pockets. The brunette had a calm smile plastered over his face and he stared intently at the other.

Gaara didn't answer. He knew Neji knew who he was; he didn't have to bother with petty responses. Neji wanted to roll his eyes in disgust at having been ignored but he was on a mission. He put his hand out in front of Gaara and cleared his throat.

"We didn't officially meet yesterday." He sounded sincere enough, he thought. Gaara stared at the hand in front of him, the one that had gently stroked his face two nights ago. He breathed in and sucked up his pride, shaking the Hyuuga's hand.

"Why are you here?" Gaara asked, trying to seem like he really didn't care. He had never seen Neji there before. Unless he had subconsciously seen him and that was why he was having such freaking dreams. Neji was trying to be as down to earth as possible so he tried to fake a laugh.

"I work here." Neji turned around and pointed down the hall. "There's my office right there." Neji could see that Gaara was still not convinced. "How do you think so many people from this school got a job at _my_ library?" He nodded like he was answering his own question. Gaara admitted that Neji had a point. He stood, finally getting a better look at the older boy.

Neji looked exactly like he did in Gaara's dreams. His skin was pale and his lips were a thin line of light pink. Gaara finally stared into his eyes and felt consumed at once. Neji's eyes were soft and so faint they were almost clear. Gaara knew he had never seen any eyes like these before and he faltered on his usually easy emotionless face. An interest grew over him like a wild vine. He could feel his concentration being pulled toward Neji as he stepped down from the stairs and stood directly under him.

Neji towered over Gaara for a moment. He could feel the boy standing below him and but couldn't move, didn't want to. He could feel Gaara's hair just beneath his chin, touching his neck delicately. He tried to shake off the chill working its way down his spine. Neji's cologne branched out all over his body and surrounded Gaara. For a long second neither of them moved, like they were frozen in passing moments.

Finally the awkwardness of their situation caught up with them.

"You're standing uncomfortably close." Neji stepped back quickly and turned his back to Gaara. He smoothed down his hair and tried to wipe the confused look off his face. He quickly did what he knew he could and put a smile on. Gaara looked up stunned. He was rarely uncomfortable about anything he did. Righting himself he sat back down on the stairs.

"You'll have to excuse me-" Neji turned around half way and eyed Gaara, "-I need to attend a conference." He threw his hand up in a goodbye. "Be at the library at three o'clock." Then he disappeared down the Northern hall.

Reaching the other side of the corner where he knew Gaara could no longer see him Neji grabbed his shirt and squeezed at his chest. He panted heavily and threw his head back into the wall. He could feel his poor heart leaping around in his chest like fireworks.

_What the hell was that?_ He wanted to look back around the corner but he was determined not to keep acting so childish. He coughed trying to catch his breath. He shook his head in shame, he was acting as if he had just run a damn marathon and all he did was stand in front of a student. He frowned when he was finally calm. It was evident that since he body was reacting so harshly that getting rid of Gaara wouldn't be that easy. Neji knew he would be peeking around school for glimpses of him.

* * *

><p>Neji was holding a cup of coffee with both of his hands as he sat in a small café a couple of blocks away from the library. He had been heading into his second job a bit earlier when he decided he needed a pick-me-up and someone to talk to.<p>

"I need your advice..." Neji lingered on the last word. He never needed any advice from anyone. He was intelligent enough to work things out on his own, but this time he could not come to a proper conclusion.

"You are so much trouble!" He threw his hands up." What the hell do you need my help with, genius?" Shikamaru was leaning back in the small chair across the table from Neji. "I've barely got enough energy to finish work." He was wearing his work uniform and drinking down a Monster. Neji wanted to groan, he should have known Shikamaru would be no help. Unfortunately there was no one else to consult.

"I've been dreaming about someone, a guy." Neji said and looked up from his coffee to see if his friend had been listening. Shikamaru didn't seem ruffled or surprised. He just motioned for Neji to continue as he finished off his drink.

"I ran into him today and I completely crumbled. I feel like a giddy school girl with her first crush. I might as well put a dress on, wear lipstick, and paint my nails." He sighed. "I'm embarrassed."

"Damn right you should be. Stop acting like your twelve, you _are_ a Hyuuga for Kami sake." Shikamaru finally sat up as he looked down at his watch and then backup at Neji. "I think its best you figure out if this guy even likes you back…not that anyone wouldn't like you, but if he has not interest then you can take off that dress and continue being a man. " He nodded.

"He's a student…." Neji admitted. Inside he knew there was nothing he could really do about it. He would lose both his jobs and his reputation as a Hyuuga would be buried under the ground. He needed to know how to get rid of Gaara, or the feelings, or both.

"You're insane. I can't believe you even called me down here." He leaned in close and whispered, "Look, I know you miss your father but you're acting out now. You do not even know that this is a crush, maybe you're confused about the relationship you have with him, hmmm?"

"Impossible. I've been dreaming about him for months. I only recently saw him for the first time. There is no relationship to be confused about. I barely introduced myself to him this morning." Neji remembered how cold Gaara's attitude had been. He was small, and mean, and…

Neji felt his palms warm with sweat and a flush glide over his face at the very thought of Gaara. "I don't know why I feel this way. It's not like I've never been attracted to anyone before." He sat back in his chair and fingered through his hair. It wasn't like him to be so torn over someone, especially someone he didn't even know.

"Well, you have two options." Shikamaru concluded. "Either make a move or don't. Just remember, your job is on the line."

"As well as my sanity," Neji added. Shikamaru was right though. Neji needed to make a choice and he knew he couldn't lose his job over some guy. He would have to go along with his plan to stay away from Gaara. He just hoped it was possible. The way he was feeling about the boy was no sign that he could.

* * *

><p>The redhead walked into the library. It was packed full of people checking out books, reading, and studying. There were people on computers, working in groups, and talking quietly. Gaara wanted to hate the place but something felt comforting about it all. He didn't know if it was the aura or if a certain someone had made the place feel like home. Whatever it was, he didn't want to leave.<p>

Gaara saw none of the people that he had seen during the registration. He wondered if they were all in another part of the building. He didn't want to walk around and look for them so he walked to the check out desk and asked the little old woman sitting there.

"The Hyuuga who owns this place asked me to come here at three. There should be others here, a group." Gaara said, emotionless. The woman looked up from her paperwork and squinted at Gaara. She seemed a little confused but then she smiled and nodded.

"You must be Gaara. Hyuuga-san said you would be coming." He stood and pointed to the last row of bookshelves on the right. "There's a door just behind those books there. That's his office. He said to send you right in."

Gaara gave her an inquisitive look and then slowly turned to make his way to the corner of the library where Neji's office was. As he got closer to the door he began to notice how hot the library was compared to the outside. Gaara could feel himself becoming lightheaded. He was wearing so many clothes to stay warm. He looked down to pull off his scarf.

When he reached Neji's door he peeked inside through the glass. Gaara couldn't see anything so he leaned close and stared harder. Neji wasn't inside the room. Realizing the office was empty Gaara sighed. He was hoping he could see Neji again, even though he was having a tough time admitting it to himself.

Neji was holding a bottle of water and he headed for his office. He watch said 3:15 and since Gaara hadn't showed up Neji found himself roaming the books. He rounded the corner and stopped abruptly, witnessing the little redhead peering into his empty room.

His heart skipped a beat and something close to fright passed over him but he wasn't going to let this end like it did this morning. He was going to be a man about the situation. He could pretend not to be attracted to the other boy. Neji gripped his water and cracked his neck to the side before he continued walking.

"Looking for something?" Neji was leaning down next to Gaara's ear whispering to him. The hairs on the back of Gaara's neck stood up and he jerked back so suddenly that he elbowed Neji in the stomach. The Hyuuga groaned but he remained standing. Gaara turned around with his arms crossed glaring at the Hyuuga.

"Well…" Neji said, rolling up the sleeves on his shirt and folded his arms as well. "You act tough but…." He reached toward Gaara. The redhead froze. This was just like his dream. He began shaking as he could feel the warmth of Neji's arm pass so closely to his face. Gritting his teeth, he wondered if Neji was going to try and kiss him. He became increasingly nervous as he braced himself for impact.

"-you're still just a kid with repressed anger. It's not attractive." Neji reached behind Gaara and turned the knob on his door, pushing it open.

"Neither are you." Gaara pouted and entered the office without another look at Neji. That bastard didn't know what he was talking about. He didn't know Gaara and he sure as hell didn't know Gaara had anger problems. The redhead walked into the big office and marveled at how much it smelled like the brunette. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"I'm beginning to think you hit me on purpose. Is that any way to treat your employer?" Neji closed the door behind him as he came in. Gaara was staring out of the glass sliding door that led out into the courtyard. Neji had it all, Gaara thought.

"That is why I came here…" Gaara remembered Neji's rhetorical question. "I don't want to work here." He turned around. "I'll be running into you far too much. I don't need the extra credit anyway, I'm graduating early already."

"You couldn't have told me that earlier? I've been sitting here waiting on you all day." Neji coughed. _How'd I let that slip out?_ He looked up to see Gaara staring curiously. "What I mean to say is, I've done all this paperwork to get you started. You could have saved me some time." Neji sat down at his desk and put his head in his hands. Even though he was going to deny Gaara the job in the first place he seemed a little sad now.

"Don't seem so stressed out. You have plenty of other people working here."

"Don't worry I'm not stressed over you." Neji stood up and tucked in his shirt which had been riding up all day. "There's the door then." Neji turned his back to Gaara. He didn't want to look like an ass but he needed to get over Gaara and this was the only way. He was _taking off the dress and acting like a man_.

But…

Neji turned around in a hurry but Gaara was just shutting the door behind him. Neji didn't feel comfortable chasing after him. He growled at himself. He was going to have to fix this somehow. He didn't like the feeling creeping up on him like a shallow emptiness. Maybe he could befriend Gaara until he graduated. The boy had said he was graduating early.

Neji smiled at his luck. Being the Academic Administrator gave him access and responsibility for all the student's academic affairs. He might be able to see Gaara more often this way. First things first, _I have to find out if he's even attracted to me…_

* * *

><p><em>-End Chapter I<br>I hope it was enjoyable. I already wrote chapter II. I'll post it in a coupe days I guess!_

_Laters!_

_-Nik _


	2. Uncomfortable Admittance

**A/N:**Chapter II is ready to go!  
>I took so long submitting it because I wanted to see if anyone was going to read it.<br>I did get some readers so yay!

**Disclaimer:** I do not own any Naruto characters.

**Chapter II**  
><strong>Uncomfortable Admittance<strong>

* * *

><p>Dreaming, Gaara found himself sitting on the soft grass that stopped on the edge of the cliff overlooking the lighthouse. He wondered how long he had been here. All day maybe. It was getting dark and the sun was setting just in front of him. Gaara stood up and the wind blew through his hair. Today was a good day, he decided, turning around and ran smack dead into Neji.<p>

"What are you doing here?" Gaara backed up and looked carelessly at the other. He didn't seem the least bit interested in dealing with any of the strangeness that came with their encounters.

"Looking for you, of course." Neji smiled. "Why else would I be here?" He tilted his head and stared hard. It was like he was trying to say they had this conversation before. He went to reach for Gaara's face but the boy pushed his hand away with a snarl.

"Yeah, right. You're just like everyone else." He breathed quietly and looked off toward the water. Neji took the hint and put his hands in his pocket but he still remained smiling.

"Oh? Were you expecting me to be different?" He asked, kicking the grass beneath his polished shoes. He looked at Gaara who was looking off somewhere else. He seemed lost for a moment as he thought about the last time he met Neji in his dream and how gentle he had been. Then he remembered how painfully straightforward the other Neji was.

"Maybe I shouldn't have." Gaara answered.

"Interesting-" Neji could see how Gaara looked curious so he continued, "-how much you blush when I'm around. Even now." A grin took over his face and he marveled at how embarrassed Gaara was now. It was quite evident that Gaara did have some attraction to Neji but maybe it was only this Neji that he had some slight feelings for. The other Neji could never be this sweet, Gaara knew.

"You're nothing but a smart well thought up description of what I want. My imagination. You're nothing like the Neji I've met in life. You're not cold or bitter or…real." Gaara seemed angry now. He wanted so badly to get to know this person who seemed to care about him so easily but there was nothing for him on the outside and he wasn't going to fall for the deception his mind conjured up.

"Gaar-"

"Go. Away." He stepped out of Neji's path and began walking.

"At least have a cup of coffee with me." Neji pleaded, but it didn't sound pathetic or pitiful like it would have with someone other than him. It sounded so sincere and inviting. Gaara would have said yes in a heartbeat if the circumstances were different.

"I don't drink coffee," Gaara lied. "It stunts your growth." He kept moving.

"Maybe that's why you're so small then?" Neji turned and looked at him as he was leaving. Gaara stopped walking and coughed as he realized the perfect Neji had just insulted him. He wasn't small; Neji was just taller than most people.

"So now you've resorted to making fun of me. Surprise, surprise." He was going to start walking again when Neji grabbed his arm and spun him around. He quickly embraced Gaara and leaned down to whisper in his ear. Gaara tensed at being held so close. He knew Neji could feel his heart skipping around in his chest.

"I would love to get to know you but you won't let me. Do you have to be so stubborn?" Neji could feel Gaara trying to pry away so he naturally let go of the boy.

"Damn straight." Gaara shouted. "Why the hell won't you just leave me alone? And why the hell are you here anyway? I never asked for you. I never prayed to some God for your existence." Gaara was fuming and this time his cheeks were red with anger.

"I've been waiting for you to realize I've been around all this time. The least you could do is give me a chance. I've been here because you've wanted me to. You never had to ask. And all these months that you've been sitting down there on that rock I've been standing up here waiting. You never once asked me to leave even though you knew I was here." He grabbed Gaara's wrist and a pulled him close.

"If you don't want me here then say it. Say it…" He waited for a few short seconds and watched thoughts fly over Gaara's face like words in a book. There was no reply from Gaara, only an exhausted exhale as a sign of defeat.

"Then…" He touched Gaara's nose with his. The redhead grew nervous as Neji's soft skin collided with his. He could feel his lips quivering and his knees shaking. He wanted to breathe but his lungs didn't work. His heart was a skittering mess and his hands shook violently between them. He felt weak but not uncomfortably so. This felt right.

Neji was staring into his bright green eyes, unblinking. He lowered his eyes and tilted his head watching Gaara's lips intently. Gaara gulped and unknowingly gripped Neji's shirt tight. He wanted to say something but the words were caught in his throat.

Neji slowly placed his lips over Gaara's, inhaling sharply. "Gaara," He whispered against the boy's lips, "wake up."

Gaara awoke suddenly from his dream to an aching between his legs. _Dammit. That bastard_. He put his hands behind his head and tried to ignore the steady excitement. It might have been possible if he could stop thinking about the damn Hyuuga.

He put a finger against his lips. He could still feel the sting that Neji left behind. It felt so real and so warm. He began irritably kicking his legs under the covers. _I didn't even get a chance to kiss him back…_

Gaara felt a tug in the pit of his stomach. He liked the lighthouse Neji and he felt such remorse for the way he had treated him. This Neji was never harsh with him. Gaara wondered why this dream wouldn't go away. He sighed and looked out his window. There was darkness outside and Gaara wished he were in the warm library threading through the books where he knew Neji would be.

* * *

><p>"Get any sleep?" Sasuke asked, fully aware of the answer. Gaara shook his head absently. He hadn't even realized he had answered at all. He was lost in thought, had been lost for most of the day. Now, during lunch, he was only barely coming back around.<p>

"What's it like to have sex?"

Sasuke spit his milk out and some of it dripped onto his pants. He slowly turned to Gaara who was staring fully unashamed. Nothing surprised Sasuke about Gaara, ever. But this was different and a whole bunch of awkwardness floated around the two boys.

"Well?" Gaara said. "It's not like I don't know what you and Naruto are up to when I'm not around." He wanted to smile so badly. Sasuke's face was priceless. He was just staring, lost and confused-like. Gaara turned his body toward Sasuke and straddled the bench. He leaned close and squinted his eyes.

"You're gay." He whispered. Sasuke didn't flinch for a second. He continued staring until he heard a familiar whistling sound. Naruto was skipping up to the table. Sasuke cleared his throat and found his composure. He didn't look at Naruto as he sat down.

"We'll have to have this conversation another time. It's far too embarrassing to share those kinds of details, especially with Naruto around." Sasuke flicked Gaara on the forehead. "You had better not be up to anything."

"What are we all huddled up talking about?" Naruto leaned over Sasuke and stuck his head in the conversation. Gaara looked up at Naruto and a wonder befell him. He sat up straight avoiding eye contact with Sasuke who was glaring.

"So, Naruto-"

"Gaara don't. I swear I'll bash your face in." Sasuke barked. Gaara looked at him then back at Naruto who was looking sheepish.

"What's up?" Naruto took an outrageous bite of his cafeteria burger and chomped it loudly, smiling all the while. Gaara felt bad that he wanted to ask but he needed to know. Nobody else was going to tell him anything and he was quite unaware of what to do about his constant erections concerning the Hyuuga.

"Sasuke tells me you two have been enjoying some pretty hardcore sex. How true is that?"

Sasuke let his head drop and Naruto just began laughing. He smacked Sasuke on the back and swallowed the rest of the food in his mouth.

"I told you he knew!" Naruto chimed. "And you were embarrassed! I told you the whole school knows by now! Good Gracious now I can finally talk to someone!" Naruto looked at Gaara. "We have been for some time now, yes." He seemed so much happier now.

Gaara shivered. Naruto was just too loud and obnoxious but he knew Sasuke wasn't going to talk to him. It was against their _Best-friends- don't- really-talk-to-each-other-aside-from-idle-chatter-here-and-there_ code.

"Naruto don't tell him anything." Sasuke waved Naruto away as he stood and dragged Gaara off to the other side of the room. They both exited the cafeteria and stood in the empty hall. It was quiet here so Sasuke began to whisper.

"Thanks." He said, leaning against a random locker. "What the hell do you need to know about sex for anyway?" He frowned like it was something they had never discussed, and it wasn't. Gaara leaned on the lockers next to him and looked up.

"I like someone…a lot. When I have dreams about this person I wake up…well…hard." Gaara exhaled. That was a blunt as he could put it. And while he was embarrassed to admit it he needed to talk to someone. Sasuke made an aggravated sound and turned to his friend.

"Well are you two planning on having sex?" He didn't want to imagine Gaara with anyone personally. The redhead didn't know how to answer that. Now that he really thought about it Neji probably didn't even want him and he was infatuated with a dream.

"He doesn't know I like him at all. I've just been dreaming about him."Gaara turned his eyes to see if Sasuke was even listening. He didn't sound like he cared. Gaara didn't blame him. They weren't ever close like this.

"Him?" Sasuke smiled, "You too huh? Well who is he?" Sasuke sounded more interested now.

"Hyuuga Neji." Gaara answered slowly. He didn't look at Sasuke this time. He could already hear the boy yelling in his head.

"You don't mean the Hyuuga Neji who works down the hall…the one who just took over the library where we're all about to start working, do you?" He left the wall and stood in front of Gaara. The other boy just nodded. He could see that Sasuke was no longer amused.

"You realize he's like a billion years older than you and well…I guess I wouldn't put it passed him. He's not really normal." Sasuke stopped for a moment. "How do you plan to go about this?" Sasuke started walking back toward the cafeteria and Gaara followed thinking about it himself. He hadn't thought that far. All he had to go on was that he dream Neji liked him. He was hoping that would at least help somehow.

* * *

><p>"Yes uncle I have thought about what you told me yesterday." Neji had his head laying on his desk at the school. "I'm busy uncle; we'll have to talk again very soon. Yes dinner would be great." His uncle was becoming a bother but Neji wasn't going to run from him.<p>

There was a knock on Neji's door and a pause then Gaara walked in. Neji hadn't seen the boy in two days. Gaara was wearing a red thermal long sleeve -his specialty during winter, and a black scarf. Neji forgot all about his uncle on the line. He stared at Gaara for a long second. He stood gaping at how the boys face glowed above his red shirt.

"Did you call me out of class to stare?" Gaara dropped his bag on the floor and sat in the chair across from Neji's desk. He was doing all he could not to completely fall apart and throw himself on top of the other. He had been so stirred when he heard Neji was calling him into the office that he had to pass by the bathroom and splash water over himself.

"My apologies. You caught me off guard. I was on a very important phone call." Neji sat on the desk inches from Gaara rather than in his chair.

"Girlfriend?" Gaara asked, leaving out all emotion to show that he even cared. Neji put his hand up to his mouth and coughed. He looked away and then back at Gaara smiling. He wondered if Gaara was trying to be nosy or if he was just joking around. Neji thought Gaara didn't look like he joked about anything, ever.

"No, that wasn't my girlfriend. I don't have one." He added, just to see if Gaara would flinch. He didn't. Neji continued to stare at Gaara, memorized. He just couldn't help himself. Gaara's very presence was enamoring.

"Can I help you with something?" Gaara asked. _God! You think he would have some humility!_ Gaara could feel how uncomfortable it was getting inside the small room. Half of him wanted to run out and breathe while the other half wanted to hop up on the damn desk and possibly kiss Neji. Sadly, he had the courage for neither.

"Actually," Neji began, "I'm just trying to figure out how someone like you has an almost perfect GPA. You're grades are outstanding and your citizenship is just as amazing. I'm at a loss for words. You don't exactly look like the type." Neji had to admit, Gaara was a lot smarter than he had initially given him credit for. Neji found that smarts were one of his favorite qualities in people. It may him want Gaara even more.

"And what type do I look like, exactly?" Gaara had a hint of anger in his voice. He hated being compared to other people. Just because he didn't look like a prude people automatically assumed he was a slacker. He had a style to uphold. He wasn't going to walk around school in a sweater vest, slacks, and argyle socks!

"You're very defensive aren't you?" Neji frowned. He hadn't intentionally meant anything with that last remark. He wanted to growl at Gaara but he promised himself he was going to control his temper and his composure when it came to the redhead. He didn't want Gaara leaving the same way he had at the library the other day.

"Only with you." Gaara complained. "Everyone else is aware of my bad side and they usually try to avoid it." He put his hands behind his head and sat back.

"Well maybe we didn't get off to such a good start. I called you in to talk about you graduating early. In a few months actually, late March." Neji looked down at his watch.

"We won't have time to discuss this for much longer. Maybe we can go for coffee before I have to be at the library." Neji seemed hopeful and he hoped he didn't sound too forward.

Gaara felt a rush of familiarity. He hadn't slept in a couple of days but his last dream with Neji was still quite clear. Somehow Gaara couldn't help but feel like the Hyuuga was making a move on him. He felt shock first and that gradually turned into timid excitement.

Despite that, Gaara stood up and grabbed his bag. He didn't look at Neji nor did he say anything as he headed for the door. The Hyuuga felt rejection laughing at him. He should have known better though. What straight-A student was going to approve of a relationship with his superior?

"I don't drink coffee." Gaara pulled the door open and Neji sighed. His little hope for happiness was walking out the door and probably going to disappear forever.

"However," Gaara looked at Neji, "I usually sneak hot chocolate into the library and hide out in the back with a good book. You're welcome to join me." He closed the door and a smile crept across his face. Neji's heart jumped against chest and all the air in his lungs got stuck. He didn't know what had just happened. He was sure the Gaara had not even been interested in him. Maybe the recent invite wasn't even because he liked him. Gaara could just have been trying to be friendly, right? Neji shook his head. He didn't think Gaara was very friendly with anyone.

* * *

><p>Gaara's bedroom was sort of big. When his father had passed away he knocked the wall out and made his room and the room next door one big room. He had a nice bathroom and a pretty big closet that he mostly used for old VHS cassettes, and junk he just couldn't part with. Gaara's room was like a mini apartment to him.<p>

He had never invited Naruto over when he and Sasuke were there but today he just didn't seem to mind the blonde being around. Most weekends Sasuke spent sleeping on the extra bed in Gaara's house. Itachi would always have large groups of people over the house on Saturdays for some group meeting. Sasuke wasn't a fan of any of Itachi's friends. They all seemed freakishly mean, wearing matching jackets and pajama pants.

Now that Sasuke had actually admitted his relationship with Naruto, Gaara couldn't really tell him not to come around. He would be really offended if Sasuke didn't like _his_ boyfriend…

"I don't want you two having any type of sex in my room." Gaara was sitting on the floor beneath the TV in the dark snacking on a rather large bowl of extra buttery popcorn. It was late Friday night and he was usually watching Smackdown but he decided to pop in a movie to avoid all Sasuke's usual whining about how fake and plastic wrestling was.

"We don't have sex all the time!" Naruto jumped up and sat next to Gaara. Sasuke joined them and the three boys all sat as close to the big TV as possible. Gaara felt an irritating itch as Naruto's shoulder bumped his. He inched over and glared at the boy.

"Trust me; I know when you guys are having sex. I can smell it on both of you. It's all the damn time and it's potent as hell. Disgusting. The least you could do, if you want to be discreet, is bathe afterward." He wondered if they had even cared to hide it. It wasn't like it took him that long to put the picture together.

"It's not like we have time to shower! Sometimes we're in the car or in the locker room or wherever! Showers have to-"

They all quieted down as a small light on Gaara's dresser flashed. His phone was vibrating and singing. Gaara got up quickly and walked over to the dresser. He slid the phone open and looked at the number. He didn't recognize it- not that he knew very many numbers by heart.

He shrugged and answered the call. "Hello?"

"Can you meet me somewhere?" Neji's voice sounded raw, and distant. Gaara knew it was him immediately. He could tell Neji must be outside somewhere. The boy looked out his window and saw the snow floating down slowly. He thought it must be freezing outside. He paused for a moment as he let the curtain go.

"How did you get my number?"

"I went snooping. I figured I couldn't wait until Monday just to talk to you. It's important." Neji sure did sound like he was cold. Gaara wondered where he was, if he was just standing outside freezing his cute little ass off. Gaara looked over at Sasuke and Naruto who looked on in confusion.

"Where are you?" Gaara asked. He decided that this little game between him and Neji had gone on for too long. Not that three days was very long to anyone but that didn't matter to Gaara. His dreams about Neji had been going on for months. He had never been a patient person anyway.

"I'm standing outside my front door. I figured it was safer not to drive anywhere until I got an answer." Neji breathed harshly into the phone. He wanted to kick himself for sounded so desperate and unreasonable. He knew it was freezing outside but still he wanted to see Gaara so he couldn't control his urge to ask the boy to meet him out in the cold.

"It's 15 degrees outside and you want me to meet you somewhere?" Gaara asked, feeling a bit flattered that he had even gotten a call. "I don't think that's a good idea, Neji." Gaara wanted so badly to accept and go out to be wherever Neji was but he knew he couldn't.

Naruto gasped in the background and Sasuke punched him in the stomach. "Don't act so surprised. It's not like we're any different."

"I see…" Neji trailed off for a moment. "I guess I bought this expensive hot chocolate for no reason." Neji said with a sigh. He could hear Gaara shifting on the other end of the phone. "Are you distracted right now?" Neji asked, hearing voices in the background.

"I thought you said you were home. What do you mean you bought hot chocolate?" Gaara look over at Sasuke as he and Naruto had moved closer to hear Neji's side of the conversation. Sasuke looked at Gaara shaking his head. He just knew something wasn't right with this.

"I lied," Neji said," I'm outside of your house. I figured you couldn't turn me down if I was already here, waiting patiently in the snow for you. Neji held his breath for a moment. He knew that sounded a little more than crazy but he just wanted a chance to speak with Gaara privately.

"Are you stalking me?" Gaara didn't really sound like he cared, he just wanted an answer and he wanted to know what about him was so fascinating that one of the most popular guys in town was willing to go out of his way to see him for.

"If you don't come out then I will be forced to push your graduation date a month back." Neji looked up to the house Gaara was in and up to the window where now Gaara was staring down at him. He knew the redhead would not risk his perfect academics on a cup of hot chocolate. "Come down, Gaara." He knew he was probably playing with fire but all the months he had been dreaming of Gaara made him feel like he knew the redhead well enough to chance it.

"I'll be down in a minute." Gaara said. He was beginning to feel a little uneasy about the situation. For the first time in his life he felt intimidated. He didn't know if it was because he liked Neji or if it was because he was just curious but he wanted to go out and see Neji. A feeling he couldn't described was forcing him to go out into the cold to finally be face to face with his long awaited dream.

"This isn't a good idea." Sasuke said. Naruto nodded behind him and they both stood as Gaara slowly began to dress in something warm so he could go outside. Gaara just groaned at them as he rushed around looking for one of his scarves to put on.

"I'll explain everything when I get back. It's a little more complicated than it seems. Long story short-" Gaara opened the door to his room and took a deep breath, "-I trust him, oddly enough." Gaara closed the door and his heart seemed to beat faster. _Don't panic. This is just a small meeting over a warm drink. Nothing is going to happen._

Gaara absently thought about his dream version of Neji. He wondered what would happen if he just gave into the worldly Neji. Maybe Neji was just _trying_ to be a hard-ass. What if in reality Neji was a gentle as he was in Gaara's dreams?

The night air mixed with the chill of winter pushed against Gaara's skin. He shivered as he stepped of the porch and down the drive way to where Neji was sitting on the hood of the car. He stood in front of the Hyuuga with his mouth and nose hidden by the scarf. He took a deep breath and reached for one of the cups in Neji's hand.

Neji handed the boy the cup and Gaara sat next to him on the car. Neither of them said a word for what seemed like minutes. Gaara sipped the hot chocolate slowly and it slid down his throat warming him instantly. Gaara marveled and delighted in the sweet cinnamon aftertaste. Neji had obviously gone to extreme measures to impress him.

"I hope you find it to your liking." Neji smiled. "I drove halfway outside of town to get that premium grade A chocolate and all naturally sweetened cinnamon topped whipped cream. I even bought one of those self heating cups so you could enjoy it warm." Neji already felt warm, even though he hadn't been drinking his hot coffee for some time now.

"You must want something." Gaara said. "No man in his right mind goes out of his way for someone like me." Gaara sipped his drink. He had to admit though, he was enjoying it. He didn't really like hot chocolate. He had just been trying to piss Neji off but this particular chocolate was amazing. Gaara wondered if it was because it was from Neji that he liked it more.

"Maybe I like you. It's obvious I don't do this for many people." Neji inched closer to Gaara. The redhead only moved his eyes as he watched the space between them decrease. Gaara just sat still as he felt his side get warm from the weight of Neji's body heat.

"You could have anyone you want." Gaara wasn't really into putting himself down but it was true that he didn't think his looks were the best. No one ever flirted with him other than the girls who probably didn't know he would never be interested.

"I feel like I know you…like I've known you for a really long time. I've drea-" Neji stopped short of his words. He didn't want Gaara to think he was some crazy disgusting jerk, although, him stalking Gaara had probably led him to believe just that.

_Dreamt?_ Gaara thought and then said, "You don't know me." He completely set aside the remark, seeing the uncomfortable look on Neji's face. Gaara spoke and then pulled his scarf back up over his mouth. The cold was freezing his already chapped lips. He snuggled down into the scarf trying to get his ears warm as well.

"I'd like to get to know you." Neji could hear Gaara trying not to growl at that. Maybe he had overstepped his line. Neji didn't even know what he really wanted himself. He had only come out on a whim. He pretended he was going to see Gaara but he ended driving on autopilot and didn't realize he was at the redhead's house until it was too late.

"I'm underage." Gaara commented. "I hope you don't want to get to know me for anything illegal." Gaara was partially serious. The only way he was going to find out what was going on was to ask. If he ended up being pursued in the process he might not mind as much.

"I wouldn't risk my job." Neji stuck his nose up proud-like. "Maybe for now we can agree on a deal." He saw Gaara awkwardly shift out the corner of his eye and he smiled. He leaned over and lightly pulled Gaara's scarf away from his lips. They stared at each other for a silent minute until Neji began speaking again.

"Maybe we can be friends…close friends until you graduate." Neji went to touch Gaara's face but the redhead caught his hand and pushed him away. The younger boy righted his scarf and stood up. He quickly shoved the cup of hot chocolate into Neji's chest and folded his arms.

"Thanks for the offer but no thanks. I'm not going to be your delayed gratification, Hyuuga." Gaara grunted. "What makes you think I'm the least bit interested anyway?" He turned his back and was going to head for his house when Neji threw down both cups and grabbed him around the waste from behind, holding him tight.

"I don't care if you're not interested. I _am_ interested. So I'm going to do whatever it takes to make sure I get exactly what I want out of you." He sniffed Gaara's hair and caressed the side of his face gently. The redhead kept perfectly still. He wasn't sure if he liked this new forceful Neji.

Is that a threat?" He decided he was going to play along for just awhile. If he liked the game then maybe he would let Neji do whatever he wanted to do. Gaara honestly couldn't help himself. Gaara liked Neji so he was just going to go with the flow for awhile.

"If you're not willing to participate then it can be." Neji cooed. Gaara finally snatched away from him and turned around. He growled at Neji but he soon found himself calm.

"What does friends include?" Gaara asked as he looked off toward his bedroom window where Sasuke and Naruto were watching all wrapped up in the curtains. Neji smiled and calmly slicked back his hair. He turned around and walked back to his car opening the door.

"We'll be in touch."

Gaara watched Neji get in the car and drive away. From where he stood he shivered, now realizing it was still cold. He snuggled up in his scarf and began walking back toward the house. He didn't know how he was gonna explain this to Sasuke.

-End

* * *

><p>I realize I took forever to update! No excuses. I was being lazy.<br>PLEASE REVIEW!  
>I have NO idea where this story is going.<br>PLEASE REVIEW!  
>I thought I would say it again just to get your attention. ^.^<br>Until next time!

-Nik


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